Duchess dazzles in white lace dress as she attends Royal Ascot with Prince William
THE Duke and Duchess of Cambridge made their first appearance at Royal Ascot today.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge made their first appearance at Royal Ascot today
Heavy rain caused havoc at Royal Ascot on Tuesday, with racegoers sheltering their fancy hats under umbrellas and ponchos.
But the wet weather has also softened the course – so much so that there were odds of 4/1 that the Queen's carriage would not make it down the racecourse.
“It hasn't happened for many years but the going can only get softer and we imagine that there would be nothing worse than the Queen's carriage getting stuck in the quagmire,” William Hill spokesman Rupert Adams said.
Odds were 10/1 that the carriage would become immobilised during the procession.
The Royal Family – especially the colour of the Queen's hat – is usually the basis for novelty bets during the five-day racing event.
The monarch surprised bookmakers by wearing a mustard yellow dress on Tuesday, despite predictions she would choose blue.
William Hill was offering bets of 5/2 that she would wear a blue hat on Wednesday.
The Queen And Princess Beatrice Dress Stylish For Ladies Day At Ascot
Kate once confessed to being allergic to horses
Odds are 10/1 that the carriage will become immobilised if the procession takes place
The Queen is an avid racing fan and has attended every royal meeting at Ascot during her reign.
She described her visits with her family as among her “most cherished” memories.
In a foreword in the official programme on Tuesday, she said she first went to Ascot aged 19.
One of her horses, Dartmouth, will be running in the Hardwicke Stakes on Thursday.
The Queen arrived alongside the Duke of Edinburgh and Prince Harry yesterday
It is not known if William and Kate are as enthusiastic about racing as the Queen, but Kate once confessed to being allergic to horses.
She told writer Kathy Lette she did not play polo like her husband because of the allergy.
The Queen is an avid racing fan and has attended every royal meeting at Ascot during her reign
Kate wore a white lace dress for the occasion
William is a keen rider and regularly plays polo. He also rode during last weekend's Trooping the Colour ceremony.
Prince Harry joined his grandmother at the races on Tuesday for the third time and presented the St James's Palace Stakes trophy.
Royal Ascot, which attracts more than 300,000 racegoers each year, is often a family affair for the Queen.
On Tuesday, she was joined by all four of her children and some of her grandchildren.